ClutchPoints
The Philadelphia Eagles enter their Week 3 showdown against the Los Angeles Rams with a golden opportunity to exploit a fundamental weakness that could determine the outcome of this highly anticipated rematch. While both teams sit at 2-0 and boast impressive defensive units, the Rams carry a glaring vulnerability that Philadelphia’s ground game is perfectly positioned to devastate: their historically poor tackling and run defense fundamentals.
The Rams’ tackling crisis represents their most exploitable weakness heading into Lincoln Financial Field. Despite defensive coordinator Chris Shula’s efforts to improve the unit, Los Angeles continues to struggle with missed tackles at an alarming rate. The statistics paint a damning picture – the Rams have missed a league-high 44 tackles through just two games this season according to Pro Football Reference. This epidemic of poor tackling fundamentals extends beyond individual lapses, representing a systemic issue that Philadelphia’s explosive rushing attack can exploit ruthlessly.
The Rams’ tackling woes run deeper than surface-level statistics suggest. Rookie outside linebacker Jared Verse alone leads the team with six missed tackles through two games, while starting inside linebackers Troy Reeder and Christian Rozeboom have combined for nine misses. The back seven collectively have whiffed on 25 tackle attempts, a number that would rank ninth-worst across the league by itself.
This epidemic becomes even more concerning when examining the team’s overall defensive rankings. The Rams currently rank 17th in rush defense, allowing 111.5 yards per game on the ground, but more tellingly, they’ve surrendered a concerning 4.3 yards per carry. While they haven’t allowed a rushing touchdown yet this season, that statistic masks the underlying fundamentals that create explosive play opportunities for dynamic runners like Saquon Barkley.
Head coach Sean McVay and defensive coordinator Shula have both publicly acknowledged communication breakdowns as a primary factor in their defensive struggles. “We’ve stressed, the biggest thing is overcommunicate,” Shula stated, revealing the unit’s inability to function cohesively. When players aren’t on the same page pre-snap, missed tackle opportunities multiply exponentially during live action.
The Eagles possess the perfect weapon to exploit these tackling deficiencies in Saquon Barkley, the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year coming off a historic 2,005-yard rushing season. Barkley’s combination of power between the tackles and breakaway speed on the perimeter creates nightmare scenarios for defenders who struggle with fundamental tackling technique. His ability to make the first defender miss consistently puts tremendous pressure on second-level defenders to clean up plays – exactly the area where the Rams are most vulnerable.
The Eagles’ rushing attack ranks seventh in the NFL with 140.0 yards per game, but more importantly, they’ve established a ground-first mentality that controls game tempo. Philadelphia has run the ball on 60% of their offensive snaps to start the season, a strategic approach that maximizes time of possession while keeping opposing offenses off the field. This ball-control strategy becomes even more effective against a Rams defense that has shown communication lapses and missed...
